2009 m&s leadership summit regional initiatives in modeling & simulation: southwest &...

2009 M&S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Regional Initiatives in Modeling & Simulation: Southwest & Midwest

James A. Wall, Ph.D., CMSPDirector, Computing and Information TechnologyTexas Center for Applied Technology

Office: 979.458.7645E-mail: [email protected]


9 Universities

Texas A&M University

Prairie View A&M University

Tarleton State University

Texas A&M International University

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Texas A&M University - Kingsville

West Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University - Commerce

Texas A&M University - Texarkana

7 State Agencies

Texas AgriLife Research

Texas Engineering Experiment Station

Texas AgriLife Extension Service

Texas Forest Service

Texas Engineering Extension Service

Texas Transportation Institute

Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab

The Texas A&M University System

1 Health Science Center

Texas A&M Health Science Center

= Involvement with programs mentioned in this presentation

• 109.705 students• 27,000 faculty and staff• More than $676M of externally-funded research


Homeland Security M&S

Emergency Management Exercise System (EMES)

• Scenario-driven simulation-supported exercise environment that offers great flexibility with respect to the targeted training audience and types of incidents introduced in the scenario. Both web-based and distributed application variants.

• Can be used operationally as a command and control system – blurs the line between training and operations. Focus is on decision making.

• Provides common operational picture for emergency management personnel thereby facilitating a higher state of situational awareness for all participants.

• Fully-compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

• More than 4000 responders trained using EMES.



Simulation Support for DHS Center of Excellence for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease

• Extension of EMES referred to as the Dynamic Preparedness System (DPS) and is used to support response to an animal disease outbreak that is either naturally occurring or deliberately introduced. Includes integration of epidemiological models.

• Extensible framework using dashboard technology allows a wide range of developers to be involved.

• Framework also used to support the DHS Bio-surveillance Common Operating Picture (BCOP).

DPS BCOP


Emergency Operations Training Center (EOTC)

• Primary focus of the EOTC is simulation-based training

• 32,000 sq. ft. facility (command post and medical training) located at Disaster City



Observations/Comments

• We should strive to “blur the line” between operations and training. This is achievable in M&S used to support command post operations and training. (See Figure 1)

• Because of the relative lack of maturity in emergency response command and control systems and simulations, one dollar can be used to contribute to the advancement of both applications.

Figure 1 - Modified Lawson C2 Model Figure 2 – Combined Spending




• The number and diversity of agencies supporting homeland security results in the lack of a well-formulated set of common requirements that would lead to greater operational and economic efficiency.

• Related to the above statement, funding is compartmentalized and budgets are often too small in this area to be fully effective.

• The emergency response community is unique enough to have operational and training systems developed from requirements that address the nature of their organizational structure and operational missions.

• Simulation is an effective tool for creating emergency responders who are more effective because they become “virtual veterans” of large scale natural or man-made disasters.

• More research required for ways to use M&S technology to reach more of the emergency responder community from all 15 emergency support functions.


Medical M&S

Texas A&M Health Science Center Activities

• Within the next 18 months, the Texas A&M Health Science Center will have about 65,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated to medical modeling and simulation (College Station, Temple, and Round Rock).

• While much of the space is dedicated to the application of M&S technology (mostly simulators), the Health Science Center and Scott and White Hospital in Temple are actively engaged in academic research assessing the medical efficacy of the use of various M&S technologies.

• The newly established National Center for Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response (NCEMPR) will feature M&S technology as a significant part of its training activities.


Medical M&S


• Significant improvements resulting from the use of M&S technology in the medical community in both training and treatment will improve medical outcomes for patients.

• Many of the current M&S activities in medicine are associated with the use of simulators. More research is needed to explore the use of M&S technology for other medical activities such as enterprise healthcare.

• More cross-fertilization between traditional and medical M&S communities is needed to understand how existing methods and technologies may apply to all. For example, the exchange of technology related to graphics (traditional M&S community) and the haptic/tactile feedback (medical M&S community).


Military M&S

Support to U.S. Army TRADOC Intelligence Agency – Threats & PM OneSAFfor Contemporary Operating Environment (COE) Modeling & Simulation

ContemporaryOperating Environment (COE) Bridges the GapConventional Warfare

M&S has limited capability to reflect

ground truth

Warfare models thatrepresent the COEExistence and Use Civilian Information

Infrastructure (CII)

CII Capabilities Expanded and Extrapolated to 2025

Enable Psychological Operations - Civilian Mood Influences Dissemination

Information Operations – CNA & EW

ACM Infrastructure Bridge - Complete integration of CII model in OneSAF

Dynamic Entity Composability - Runtime Weapons/Equip Pick Up

Hybrid IED-Defeat Network Trainer – System Integration

Cyber-warfare Effects

Cultural/COIN Data Analysis and Utilization


Military M&S


• More research is needed in ways to improve M&S capabilities related to the non-kinetic aspects of military operations.

• Deficiencies in non-kinetic capabilities in current M&S environments are not a result of negligence in the M&S R&D community. These deficiencies arise because of the extreme complexity of the required models that must address a wide range of diverse cultural and regional players.

• Even if models do not provide complete adjudication in a simulation, it is important that the training audience has exposure to the full range of challenges that may be encountered in the Contemporary Operating Environment (COE).


Other Ongoing Efforts Related to Modeling and Simulation

• Exploring the feasibility of establishing a degree-producing M&S program. This effort is complicated by “defining” M&S as there are many diverse views in the academic community.

• Seeking opportunities to conduct simulation-supported research and exercises in the new Multi-Program Research & Education Facility (7700 sq. ft. classified research facility).

• Promoting the importance of Congressional M&S Caucus membership among regional representatives and their staff.

• Coordinating with other regional organizations that have M&S interests to better understand activities in the region and assess the economic impact. This will provide a stronger voice with regional legislators, both federal and state, on matters related to M&S.


Final Observations/Comments

• More convergence/collaboration is needed among the various simulation communities (e.g., analytical, training, etc.).

• M&S is an enabling technology; thus, funding sources for research and development in cross-cutting methods and technologies are limited.

• Many of today’s major challenges may result in increased opportunities for the M&S community, especially in an environment of limited resources.

• Finally, many thanks to the Congressional M&S Caucus, the National Training and Simulation Association, and other professional simulation organizations for their diligence and success in promoting M&S technology.

2009 m&s leadership summit regional initiatives in modeling & simulation: southwest &...

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